Edited by author 05-08-2001 08:43 AM
Socrates M. - I disagree that we are just designers. Some of us are not hands-on designers. We come from diverse backgrounds, but we bring in a multitude of skills and research. We have to be focussed on the user, heck everybody on the team should be focussed on the user, but in reality the team is not. The team members do what they do best. The IA role can meld in to other positions, but from personal experience the IA role is best as an overseer/coordinator and to some degree a manager. The IA is the on team consultant for usability and an advocate for the user.

I agree (but with some foot dragging as I don't really want another hat to wear) with PeterMe that we need to assimilate the marketers. We have seen the impact the skills of a good IA can make on a project/application/product and how this in turn helps the client/sponsor/company as well as the user. By wearing the marketing hat and (dot.com.ese coming) evangelizing the trade and the role in regard to the impact an IA can have on a task helps others understand the impact the IA can make.

If a product is not usable is it a product? IAs help ensure the usability.